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The number of cars being sold with automatic gearboxes is rising in the UK as British drivers fall out of love with the trusty manual.

Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that the number of cars with auto gearboxes has risen by over 70 per cent since 2007. A total of 8.4 million automatic cars are now on Britain's roads.

In 2017, 40 per cent of all news cars were fitted with an automatic gearbox, including CVT and 'semi-automatic' varieties. It's thought that consumers enjoy the relative ease with which automatic cars are operated.

While manual gearboxes are still the most numerous form of transmission, their popularity has been steadily declining as the quality and availability of automatics has risen.

"Consumers are enjoying greater freedom and mobility than ever before, which along with greater reliability and improved fuel efficiency, make owning a car a more attractive and affordable option for millions of people. With every new model launched, more motorists are benefitting from more advanced technology.

The vast majority of new drivers learn and undertake their test in manual cars, and as such are entitled to drive both manual and automatic vehicles when they pass. Those taking their test in an automatic are restricted in what they can drive; essentially, anything with a clutch pedal requires a manual driving licence.

Battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell and petrol-electric hybrid cars are essentially automatic; while their drivetrain doesn't necessarily resemble that of a normal auto, they are considered autos as the driver doesn't need to change gear.